PALS and Complaints

We are committed to providing the best possible service at all times. We welcome your suggestions and feedback about our services and want to resolve any problems you may experience to help make local healthcare services more effective.

Although we oversee all comments, concerns, compliments and complaints that are received, we have delegated management of the process to the South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCWCSU). To achieve this will involve the CSU accessing patient records and disclosing relevant information to us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

You can ask for advice, information or talk to PALS about a concern. PALS is impartial and will work with you to try to resolve a difficulty or problem and can act on your behalf if you wish. They will discuss with you the best ways to resolve your concerns or problems and will agree with you what action to take for your individual circumstances. They can also signpost to other sources of help if needed. Your personal details remain confidential although information from PALS is used anonymously to help improve services. If you have received particularly good service from any health service provider or you have any comments / suggestions to make, please let them know. This information will help us to keep improving our services.

You can provide feedback directly to PALS in writing, by email, by telephone or in person (by appointment only):

How to make a formal complaint about a health service

Many complaints can be resolved quickly by discussing them directly with the person providing the service or the manager concerned. However, if you do want to make a formal complaint, let us know as soon as possible, as there is a time limit of 12 months, although this can be waived depending on the circumstances.

Who can complain?

Anyone who is receiving, or has received, NHS treatment or services can complain, as can anyone affected by the outcome of actions. If you are unable to make a complaint yourself, then someone can act on your behalf with your written consent. Young persons (under age 18) are entitled to complain independently. The NHS cannot consider a complaint made on behalf of a young person unless they are sure that the young person is unable to complain themselves.

What information will be needed to make my complaint?

Your name, address and contact telephone number and those of the person that you may be complaining for; including their date of birth and their NHS number.

A summary of what has happened, giving dates where possible.

Which organisation provided the care or service

A list of things that you are complaining about

What you would like to happen as a result of your complaint.

What can I expect?

A member of the complaints team will contact you and agree the best way forward for investigating your complaint, taking into account your desired outcome. The issues will be fully investigated and you should then receive your response (which can be a written response or a meeting with relevant staff) within the agreed timescales. Please do not worry about the service you receive in future being adversely affected because you have made a complaint. We take all comments seriously and only use the information to review our services and make improvements, where needed.

Independent Primary Care Contractors

If you have a comment or a complaint about a GP, dentist, pharmacy or optician that cannot be resolved by the Practice Manager, you can contact NHS England.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Tel: 0300 311 2233

Health Service Ombudsman

We do our best to resolve your complaint however, if you feel that not all of the issues have been addressed, please let us know so that we can agree a way forward. After this, if we agree that local resolution has not been achieved and you remain unhappy with the outcome,it can be referred to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO).

The Ombudsman is totally independent and will review your complaint. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman may investigate complaints on your behalf, but only if your complaint has already been investigated at a local resolution. There is no charge for this service.

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)

If you would like to receive independent advice from someone about the NHS complaints process, please contact Healthwatch Swindon, who will offer help and support to those wishing to make a formal complaint about the NHS and can help you to write your letter of complaint and accompany you to any meetings.